Description
Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli is a hearty Italian‑inspired comfort food—rich with beans, small pasta, savory tomato broth and ground beef—and perfect for letting the slow cooker do the work while you relax.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (≈450 g) lean ground beef (or Italian sausage, casing removed)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (28 oz / ≈800 g) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz / ≈425 g) can diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 4 cups (≈1 L) beef broth (or chicken/vegetable broth if preferred)
- 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini (white) beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp dried oregano + 1 tsp dried basil)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup (≈85 g) ditalini or other small pasta shape
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium‑high heat, brown the ground beef (or sausage) until no longer pink, breaking it up into crumbles. Drain any excess fat. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Transfer the browned meat into a 6‑quart (≈5.7 L) slow cooker. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, kidney beans, cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Cover and cook on **LOW** for 6‑8 hours (or on **HIGH** for 4‑5 hours) until vegetables are tender and flavors are melded. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- About 30 minutes before serving (or when there’s 30 minutes left on HIGH setting), stir in the uncooked ditalini pasta. Cover and continue cooking until the pasta is tender. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls. Top each serving with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version: omit the meat, use vegetable broth, and optionally add extra beans or lentils. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
- Pasta absorbs a lot of liquid during cooking and afterwards — if you prefer a soupier consistency, be sure to reserve some extra broth to stir in just before serving. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
- To avoid mushy leftover pasta, you can cook the pasta separately and add to each bowl when serving instead of cooking it in the slow cooker. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
- If you have a Parmesan rind, you can add it at the beginning with the broth for extra depth of flavor—just remove it before serving. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6‑8 hours on LOW (or 4‑5 hours on HIGH)
- Category: Soup, Comfort Food, One‑Pot Meal
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian‑inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx.)
- Calories: Approx. 340 kcal
- Sugar: Approx. 6 g
- Sodium: Approx. 520 mg
- Fat: Approx. 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: Approx. 38 g
- Fiber: Approx. 8 g
- Protein: Approx. 21 g
- Cholesterol: Approx. 35 mg
Keywords: slow cooker pasta e fagioli, pasta and beans soup, hearty Italian soup, crock‑pot pasta e fagioli, beans pasta comfort food